Transcript Highlights:

• She has worked tirelessly on this, as have some of our support staff.
• So we've almost doubled in the size of the staff that we have.
• The front office area where we had our administrative staff, we ended up moving the administrative staff
• So we no longer have kind of a break area for our staff to commingle.
• First off, the gaming division is comprised of 20 staff members.

Summary: The committee met to review the Attorney General’s budget and related agency operations, beginning with Legislative Council staff walking members through compliance reports and a blue-sheet base budget document. Staff highlighted current-biennium items such as FTE changes, one-time appropriations, litigation funding, opioid settlement receipts, continuing appropriations, and major special and federal funds. Members asked for clarification on items including the Missing Indigenous People Grant Fund, the Internet Crimes Investigation Fund, and the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit grant funding. Assistant Attorney General Clare Ness then gave an overview of the office’s structure, staffing, and budget pressures. She emphasized the office’s broad statutory duties, the value of its legal services to state and local government, and concerns about attorney pay lagging behind other agencies. Members discussed whether attorney compensation should be benchmarked more consistently across state government and whether some legal work could be consolidated within the AG’s office. Ness also addressed questions about AG opinion turnaround times, boards-and-commissions training, the new-and-vacant FTE pool, operating expense cuts, office leases, and the state’s criminal justice information systems. The crime lab presentation drew significant attention. Director Jennifer Penner described severe space, safety, and infrastructure problems at the current lab, including cramped work areas, glycol leaks, outdated fire and burglar alarms, air-handling limits, and equipment failures that have delayed toxicology work. She said the 2024 study projected a much larger facility would be needed and that the preferred location would be near the current health department site, but in a new building. Members asked about possible evidence risks, backlog status, and whether the proposed building would solve the current problems; Penner said it would and noted backlogs have improved overall, though some delays remain. The committee also heard from the new Medicaid Fraud Control Unit director, who described the unit’s civil and criminal work, federal-state funding split, and examples of fraud such as billing for services not provided or upcoding. The gaming division reported continued growth in charitable gaming and e-tabs, with members expressing concern about large trust-account balances, site competition, and possible misuse of proceeds. Finally, BCI outlined its caseload, cybercrime work, missing Indigenous persons task force, and the surge in CSAM cyber tips; members asked about AI-generated CSAM, and the AG’s office noted that last session’s law increased penalties and expressly allowed AI-generated CSAM to be prosecuted like other CSAM. No formal votes or actions were taken beyond approval of the minutes.

Transcript Highlights:

• So staff will be spread thin.
• by other staff as there is capacity.
• That staff person and it will be picked up by other staff as there is capacity. And, oh, okay.
• We already, this staff position is filled.
• No additional staff are necessary for grant delivery.

Summary: The Emergency Board met on June 17, 2026, and approved a series of subcommittee recommendations, mostly on consent, related to federal grant applications, agency funding adjustments, and position authority. Early actions included approval of four federal grant applications from natural resources agencies, three public safety grant applications, a one-time increase for Judicial Department court security, retroactive approval for an AmeriCorps volunteer-generation grant, and a $7.5 million allocation to Southern Oregon University from a special appropriation for short-term financial stability. Members supporting the SOU item emphasized the university’s structural deficits, declining enrollment, and the need for a long-term higher education plan; several members voted no or raised concerns about sustainability, but the motion passed. The board also approved a federal apprenticeship expansion grant for the Higher Education Coordinating Commission, a school nutrition equipment grant for the Department of Education, and an Oregon Health Authority request tied to Medicaid community engagement requirements under H.R. 1. Public safety items included funding for Oregon Military Department readiness facilities, a report on the stalled juvenile justice information system modernization project with a follow-up viability report due in 2026, and a statewide evacuation planning tool for emergency management. The evacuation tool drew strong support as a wildfire preparedness measure, with members noting it could significantly reduce alert times and save lives. A major point of debate was the Department of Justice request to add 16 permanent positions and increase other funds limitation for antitrust enforcement. Supporters argued the federal government has pulled back and Oregon needs capacity to pursue active cases and protect consumers; opponents objected to the process, the size of the expansion, and the incentive structure tied to settlements and awards. Despite those concerns, the motion passed. The board also approved Water Resources Department requests for the Water Well Abandonment, Repair and Replacement program, an assistant water master position in Washington County, and federal funding for Lower Umatilla Basin groundwater data collection. The water master item prompted questions about county cost shifts, but staff said the position would remain externally funded and would not be filled without those resources.

Transcript Highlights:

• with the adoption of the spreadsheet, the table document, and amendments presented by nonpartisan staff
• <00:40:00.480><c> are</c> move that nonpartisan staff are move that nonpartisan staff are empowered<00
• Well, Madam Chair, I just wanted to thank our nonpartisan staff and our partisan staff as well.
• thank all of our staff who made this thank all of our staff who made this happen<00:40:25.440><c> and
• </c> nonpartisan staff and our partisan staff nonpartisan staff and our partisan staff as<00:40:34.560

Transcript Highlights:

• I wanna thank the staff, uh, for putting together, uh, this shows that our staff, you know, wherever
• Because we don't have any ancillary staff on campus.
• So we took our entire staff on a retreat.
• And, and our staff is really good. They're willing to, to go.
• We don't have the staff to take the time to do that.

Transcript Highlights:

• Are there any initial comments that you'd like to make, Chair Heintzeman, or would you like the staff
• And then our DFL staff, although Mr. Strowmire isn't here today, Mr.
• And then our DFL staff, although Mr. Strowmire isn't here today, Mr.
• </c><00:30:06.320><c> to</c> on ways and means and instruct staff to on ways and means and instruct staff
• </c><00:30:24.320><c> make</c> direction that nonpartisan staff make direction that nonpartisan staff

Bills: HF2439

Committee: House Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy

Keywords: environmental protection, pollution reduction, waste management, climate change, funding allocations

Transcript Highlights:

• We don't have something that is pre-built to share with staff.
• We don't have something that is pre-built to share with staff at this time.
• In fact, there was a requirement that school districts ensure that teachers, staff, support staff are
• Usually it's one or two that also then support, and we have district staff.
• So staffing, keeping the schools fully staffed and even the support staff, is a big challenge.

Summary: The Student Academic Success Subcommittee met to review Florida’s cell phone and social media literacy law, with Representative Brad Yeager describing the 2023 policy as aimed at removing classroom distractions and teaching students how to use social media responsibly. He said the law was intended to keep phones out of classrooms unless used for instruction, require social media literacy education, and limit access to certain sites on school Wi-Fi and government devices. Yeager said feedback since passage has been mixed: many teachers support it and some have adopted inexpensive shoe-organizer or pouch systems, but implementation varies by school and administrator enforcement. He said he is not currently pursuing a broader statewide mandate. Superintendent Dr. Maria Vazquez and Timber Creek High School Principal Mr. Wasco described Orange County’s approach as bell-to-bell phone restrictions, while Pasco County’s Dr. Zetchy described a similar policy with some flexibility during lunch or passing periods at the high school level. Both districts said the policy was implemented with parent communication, town halls, surveys, and transition periods, and that concerns about emergencies were addressed by allowing phones to be returned at the end of the day and by establishing procedures for parent contact. They reported few theft problems and said discipline issues related to phones have generally been manageable, though some teachers still struggle with enforcement or with students trying to evade the rules. A major portion of the discussion focused on social media literacy instruction. Orange County said it uses counselor-led programs, Canvas courses, resiliency days, and curriculum materials to teach students about cyberbullying, human trafficking, privacy, and the permanence of online posts, with progress tracked through the learning platform. Pasco said it has some resiliency modules but lacks a fully built-out, pre-made social media curriculum and would welcome more guidance from DOE, especially for high school classrooms where instructional time is limited. Members also asked about student anxiety, 504/IEP accommodations, caregiver students, and parent education; the districts said exceptions are handled through school committees and that parent academies and district resources are being used to help families set boundaries and understand the risks and benefits of phones and social media. No votes were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• I want to say a deep, heartfelt thank you to your staff who have helped work on this bill.
• Thank you to the committee consultants and staff for all of your hard work on this bill.
• I'd like to thank the committee staff for their analysis.
• Ahead of time, I want to thank you for your work and your committee staff work on this.
• Again, thank you, Madam Chair, committee staff.

Committee: House Education

Transcript Highlights:

• And you may not be able to answer this, and we can have staff look it up.
• We can have staff look it up.
• staff—any staff member with the application on their cell phone—to notify school staff and law enforcement
• , which you alluded to, and vendor staff turnover.
• , which you alluded to, and vendor staff turnover.

Committee: Joint Joint Legislative Audit Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• Well, I want to thank the senator for working with our staff and also to the staff.
• Well, I want to thank you, Senator Allen, and also your staff and the staff of the committee.
• Your staff is legendary.
• my office and the staff here in the committee.
• We have been working with the author's staff.

Summary: The committee heard several AI- and consumer-protection-related bills, with extensive testimony from authors, supporters, and industry opponents. SB 53 by Senator Wiener would create transparency requirements for large AI developers, including disclosure of safety and security protocols, reporting of critical safety incidents, whistleblower protections, and the CalCompute public cloud. Supporters said it is a narrower, transparency-based follow-up to last year’s vetoed AI safety bill, while opponents argued it still relies too much on company size, could expose trade secrets, and should be narrowed further. The committee approved SB 53 on a do-pass-as-amended vote to Appropriations, with the roll held open for absent members. SB 766 by Senator Allen would codify the FTC’s Cars Rule and create a three-day cooling-off period for certain used-car purchases, along with stronger disclosure rules on pricing, add-ons, and government affiliation claims. Supporters said it would save consumers money and time and help buyers avoid bad deals, while dealer and industry groups said amendments addressed many of their concerns. Several former opponents moved to neutral, and the committee passed SB 766 unanimously as amended to Appropriations. SB 7 by Senator McNerney would regulate automated decision-making systems in employment by requiring notice, human review for discipline and termination, and limits on predictive behavior analysis. Labor and consumer advocates supported the bill as a safeguard against biased or overly automated workplace decisions, while employer and industry groups raised concerns about scope, notice burdens, and the predictive-analysis ban. The committee passed SB 7 to Appropriations on a 4-2 vote, with the roll held open. SB 833, also by Senator McNerney, would require human oversight of AI used in critical infrastructure, along with training and system assessments; it drew limited opposition focused on scope, and the committee passed it as amended to Appropriations on a 5-0 vote, also holding the roll open. Later, the committee took up SB 11, which would address AI-generated voice, image, and video cloning and deepfakes by clarifying likeness protections, requiring consumer warnings, and addressing misuse and evidence tampering. Supporters framed it as a targeted response to nonconsensual deepfakes, while industry groups said recent amendments improved the bill but still had concerns about penalties and warning language. The committee also heard SB 720, the Safer Streets Act, which would let cities opt into a revised red-light camera system that shifts from driver to owner liability, removes facial identification, makes violations civil rather than criminal, and directs revenue toward transportation safety projects; the author presented the bill, but the transcript ends before any final action on SB 720.

Transcript Highlights:

• , non-direct care staff, and contractors, but excluding administrative staff, medical directors, nursing
• That includes direct care staff, non-direct care staff, and contractors, but excludes administrative
• </c><01:34:18.199><c> um</c><01:34:19.199><c> yeah</c> our staff we want quality staff um yeah our staff
• we want quality staff um yeah quality<01:34:20.280><c> staff</c><01:34:20.600><c> to</c><01:34:20.920
• It is expensive to try to get more staff in. We had to deal with traveling staff.

Bills: HF1419 , HF500

Committee: House Human Services Finance and Policy

Keywords: nursing facilities, reimbursement rates, elderly care, minimum wage, healthcare funding, nursing home, employment standards, worker rights, Minnesota Statutes, labor compensation

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> accompany our staff out at a home visit. accompany our staff out at a home visit.
• So not Department of Correction staff, but we had our juvenile justice staff who actually case manage
• Um and uh the just six staff there.
• </c><01:58:29.840><c> for</c><01:58:30.159><c> kids</c> staff that offer opportunities for kids staff
• </c> will say is that I know that our staff will say is that I know that our staff are<02:15:44.639><

Committee: Senate Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• c> "Do</c><00:34:16.440><c> you</c> and one staff staff member said, "Do you and one staff staff member
• </c><00:52:52.960><c> Um</c> the Democratic staff. Um the Democratic staff.
• . staff. staff.
• To<01:55:38.120><c> the</c><01:55:38.200><c> staff,</c> To the staff, To the staff, thank<01:55:41.080
• </c> runs on the staff. runs on the staff.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm John Sena, your staff director. Behind me, I've got.
• Jessica Hathaway, our deputy staff director, Juliana Baca, Alonso Baca, Evan Chavez.
• I just wanted to thank LFC staff for talking to us about.
• Chairman, and thank you, John, and thank you to our staff. I mean, it is.
• I think this is, you know, the staff really is the true. Unsung heroes, right?

Transcript Highlights:

• Colleagues, this morning I am very honored to introduce you to the other members of my staff.
• Staff, please stand when your name is called. My awesome committee clerk, Lisa Barnett.
• when</c><00:01:17.759><c> your</c> staff.
• Staff, please stand when your staff.
• Staff, please stand when your name<00:01:18.000><c> is</c><00:01:18.240><c> called.

Bills: SB2347 , SB2911 , SB2033 , SB2158 , SB2993 , SB2778 , SB2672 , SB2014 , SB3144 , SB3096 , SB3097 , SB2968 , SB2363 , SB3154 , SB2400 , SB3313 , SB2896 , SB3279 , SB2614 , SB2687 , SB2754 , SB2549 , SB3325 , SB2658 , SB2659 , SB2602 , SB2611 , SB2877 , SB3063 , SB2615 , SB3232 , SB2875 , SB3272 , SB2854 , SB3203 , SB2803 , SB2804 , SB3302 , SB3229 , SB2969 , SB2412 , SB2657 , SB2880 , SB2540 , SB2414 , SB3142 , SB3202 , SB2281 , SB2852 , SB2272 , SB2479 , SB2589 , SB2936 , SB2720 , SB2730 , SB2749 , SB2688 , SB2798 , SB3040 , SB3107 , SB3010 , SB3109 , SB3140 , SB3187 , SB2057 , SB2377 , SB3048 , SB3083 , SB3182

Keywords: tenant rights, landlord obligations, housing crisis, eviction prevention, multilingual access, intoxicating liquor, direct shipment, breweries, distilleries, Hawaii, renewable energy, grid-ready homes, interconnection process, electric utility, energy independence, surcharge, customer access, energy storage, smart inverters, veterinary workforce

Transcript Highlights:

• Can legislative staff, in particular caucus staff, participate on social media when the caucus posts
• Can legislative staff participate by using their own computer, essentially?
• We know we can't comment on it, legislative staff. But can we like it?'
• We know we can't comment on it, ledger staff. But can we like it.
• And if a legislative staff person comments...

Summary: The committee approved the minutes as corrected and noted there were no employment disclosure forms. It then took up an advisory opinion on whether public resources may be used for items such as stickers, pens, and other printed materials. Members agreed the opinion should identify historically provided items as presumptively within the normal and regular conduct of legislative business, but they emphasized that even listed items cannot be used in a campaign-related way. Staff said they would redraft the opinion to reflect that caveat and route it back for board review. The committee also discussed a second advisory opinion request about whether legislative and caucus staff may interact with caucus social media posts by liking or sharing them. The draft conclusion was that staff should not like or engage with posts tied to legislation or policy positions, because such activity could amount to lobbying or create an ethics issue if the content later becomes legislation and remains online. Members asked for clearer language tying the analysis to legislative posts and the caucus context, and the draft will be revised and returned. Members then reviewed the status of a broader project to reexamine older advisory opinions and agreed to continue the review process so the remaining opinions can be retained, modified, or retired. They also discussed the recently passed ethics bill and supported issuing an ethics alert summarizing its major changes, including a House amendment related to election-year social media/web content. Finally, the board approved spending about $19,171 to digitize archived case files in searchable form, with members also supporting digitizing future files going forward. The public session was then adjourned and the board prepared to reconvene in executive session.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, so the staff have asked to be um Um, so the staff have asked to be um that<00:00:35.360><c> we</c
• </c> Um, next up is our house research staff. Um, next up is our house research staff.
• </c> underestimate the amount of staff underestimate the amount of staff needed,<00:37:58.880><c> the
• We our teaching staff in our classrooms.
• </c><01:41:29.920><c> time,</c> compliance, not ongoing staff time, compliance, not ongoing staff time

Bills: HF2436

Committee: House Children and Families Finance and Policy

Keywords: child welfare, economic assistance, child care, grant program, video security cameras

Transcript Highlights:

• c><00:18:27.400><c> don't</c> starting to cut staff because they don't starting to cut staff because
• And able to do with this existing staff.
• </c> we request three additional staff. we request three additional staff.
• ,</c><00:38:21.440><c> in</c> areas: in HR, in our support staff, in areas: in HR, in our support staff
• Thank you. support staff. But the state would only support staff.

Bills: HF2783 , HF2603 , HF2846 , HF2354 , HF1836 , HF2713 , HF1198 , HF1389

Committee: House State Government Finance and Policy

Keywords: state government finance, biennial budget, appropriations, Minnesota Management and Budget, Healthy Aging Subcabinet, Office of Healthy Aging, older adults, aging policy, long-term care, caregivers, public health, Medicaid fraud, medical assistance fraud, attorney general subpoena power, fraud enforcement, business filing fraud, Secretary of State, deceptive mailings, consumer protection, certified public accountant

Transcript Highlights:

• I appreciate the engagement, of course, of your team and your staff and committee members.
• Thank you to the committee consultants and staff for all of your hard work on this bill.
• I'd like to thank the committee staff for their analysis.
• Ahead of time, I want to thank you for your work and your committee staff work on this.
• Again, thank you, Madam Chair, committee staff.

Summary: The committee heard several education-related bills, with the most extensive discussion focused on AB 2189, AB 2615, AB 2496, AB 1750, and AB 1644. AB 2189 would create an $800,000 grant program through the State Council on Developmental Disabilities to support a statewide parent network for special education advocacy and training. Supporters said families need stronger coordination and information to navigate special education, while an opponent argued the bill could duplicate existing family-led organizations. The bill passed 6-0 and was sent to Appropriations, held on call for add-on votes. AB 2615, a cleanup bill to AB 715 on antisemitism and instructional materials, drew the most controversy. The authors said it was intended to clarify prior commitments by removing references to professional responsibility standards, refining the “factually accurate” language, and clarifying how discriminatory materials are handled. Supporters said it would help protect students from discrimination, while many educators, civil rights groups, and other organizations opposed it unless amended, warning that the factual-accuracy language could chill teaching and be applied too broadly. The committee chair and members raised concerns about implementation but ultimately supported moving the bill forward; it passed 5-0 and was held on call. AB 2496 would streamline school accountability reporting by making the California School Dashboard the primary transparency tool, phasing out the School Accountability Report Card over time, and making mid-year LCAP reporting optional. Supporters said this would reduce duplication and administrative burden while preserving access to key data; opponents worried families could lose the simplicity and accessibility of the current SARC and that the mid-year update still serves an important purpose. The bill was approved 3-0 and held on call. AB 1750, which would extend full salary for an additional five months for school employees who exhaust sick leave due to illness or injury, was supported as a dignity and retention measure but opposed by administrators over staffing and cost concerns; it passed 4-0 and was held on call. AB 1644 would require a bell-to-bell smartphone ban in TK-8 and recommend it for high school, with exceptions for instructional and safety needs; supporters said phones are harming attention and learning, while opponents argued districts had just adopted local policies and needed more flexibility. The transcript ends during discussion of that bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you, Chair Jackson, committee members, and staff.
• We know that LCSAs who are struggling to hire and retain staff must turn those staff to doing the compliance
• or potentially experience staff shortages or administrative burdens.
• Many of the fire-affected areas, my staff may be reaching out for.
• My staff collect, on average, about $350,000 per staff per year.

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you, thank you, staff, thank you, staff, thank you, staff.
• I want to thank the committee staff and you, Mr.
• Good morning, Chair, members, and staff.
• I know the committee staff has worked hard as well. My own staff has worked hard.
• And I want to thank the committee staff for their hard work.

Summary: The committee heard and advanced several tax-related bills, beginning with AB 760, which would exempt settlement payments tied to the Garden Grove chemical incident from California income tax. The author and a school district trustee described evacuations, school closures, and losses to residents, businesses, students, and staff, arguing the payments should make victims whole rather than be taxed. There was support from the Orange County Board of Supervisors, no opposition, and the bill passed 3-0 to Appropriations, with committee amendments accepted. Members then heard AB 2319, creating a California post-production tax credit for film and television work done in-state, even when principal photography occurred elsewhere or the project did not receive the existing film credit. The author and supporters from the Motion Picture Editors Guild, California Post Alliance, and others said post-production jobs and facilities are leaving California and that the bill would help retain high-wage work; opponents were not present. The committee members generally supported the measure, and it passed 3-0 to Appropriations. AB 2186 followed, excluding future reparations benefits for descendants of formerly enslaved people from state income tax. The author and NAACP California-Hawaii State Conference said taxing such benefits would undermine reparative justice; there was no opposition, and the bill passed 3-0. The committee also heard AB 762, which would ban the sale of disposable nicotine vapes and add enforcement tools. Supporters, including waste, recycling, local government, and public health groups, said disposable vapes create fire hazards, waste problems, and costs for local agencies; opponents argued the bill would mainly eliminate the legal market while leaving illicit products untouched and urged stronger enforcement instead. The author accepted committee amendments adding CDTFA enforcement, but the bill was not voted on because a motion was pending and members were absent. Later, AB 1519, AB 2172, AB 2222, AB 1793, AB 2089, and AB 1265 were heard and each received support from committee members and passed 2-0 or 3-0 to Appropriations, with amendments accepted where noted. AB 1519 clarified that the 20-year tax collection statute of limitations should not be reset by later fees or penalties; AB 2172 would let large counties use a single assessment appeals commissioner for complex property tax appeals; AB 2222 would create a temporary tax credit for local news organizations to retain and hire journalists; AB 1793 would authorize symmetrical cash rounding to the nearest nickel after the federal penny phaseout; AB 2089 would streamline the welfare exemption filing process for affordable housing; and AB 1265 would extend and revise the historic building tax credit to encourage adaptive reuse for housing and mixed-use projects.